Red Wine of the "week" June 5th - June 19th

Our new wine of the week is
Herdade do Monte de Ribeira Varal Red
Regularly $13.99/ On sale for $9.96

"A chance encounter. Our eyes meet;, a gesture, two words. A ruby reflex. A laugh. An elegant aroma of red fruits. A teasing question. An unexpected reply. A touch of cocoa. We finish each other’s sentence. In my mouth, I feel fresh fruits and spices. A prolonged moment. A similar aftertaste." (from the back label!)

The Herdade Monte da Ribeira is located in Marmelar in Alentejo, a location with a centuries-old winemaking tradition dating back to Roman times and later pursued by the Knights Templar.
The surrounding areas are mostly forest where one will find cork oaks and strawberry trees. The area is also the habitat of species such as hares, deer and wild boars, which can here be seen in the wild.

Winemaker Nuno Elias is supported by the renowned enologist Luis Duarte. Luis Duarte has won Winemaker of the Year from Revista de Vinhos, the sole winemaker in Portugal to win this distinction twice.
 
The Varal is a blend of two grapes: Aragonez (Tempranillo) and Alfrocheiro Preto, a grape thought to be completely indigenous to Portugal.  Smooth and mildly spicy, this wine is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. (Also enjoyable alone!)